Faults in the data transmission network supporting Italy’s air traffic control services caused widespread flight delays and cancellations on October 16, 2026. The national air navigation service provider Enav identified the network issues during the night of October 15-16. To maintain operational safety amid increasing air traffic, Enav implemented flow management measures starting at 6:00, temporarily reducing aircraft handling capacity across Italian airspace.
Flight Cancellations and Delays at Major Italian Airports
Rome Fiumicino airport saw at least four flights cancelled on October 16. The cancelled routes were to Milan Linate, Riyadh, Tirana, and Trieste. Additional flights at Fiumicino experienced delays of up to 60 minutes. Similar disruptions occurred
at Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, and Naples Capodichino airports, with a combination of flight delays and cancellations attributed to the network faults.
Enav Confirms Network Faults and Safety Measures
Enav stated that the faults originated in the data transmission network critical to air traffic control operations. The operator ruled out any connections between the faults and sabotage or hacker attacks. Despite the overnight detection of the faults, Enav maintained normal air traffic management without capacity reductions until 6:00 on October 16. After that, flow management measures were introduced to ensure the highest level of operational safety during the persistence of the technical issues.
Enav said: “From 6:00,
in view of the steady increase in air traffic and the persistence of the faults, in order to continue guaranteeing the highest level of operational safety, flow management measures have been introduced, which mean a temporary reduction in the capacity to handle aircraft in Italian airspace.” The provider is working to determine the cause and fully restore system operations.
Passenger Impact and Airport Advisories
The disturbances at Italy’s main airports led to flight delays and cancellations impacting numerous passengers on October 16. Airport operators at Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, and Naples Capodichino advised travelers to verify their flight status directly with airlines amid
ongoing operational adjustments resulting from the data network faults.
